 |
|
A stampede occurred at Mumbai's Bandra railway station early Sunday morning, injuring nine people, including two critically. The incident took place amidst a surge of passengers attempting to board a Gorakhpur-bound train, as many prepared for the upcoming Diwali and Chhath festivals. The incident occurred around 5:56 am when passengers tried to board the unreserved 22921 Bandra-Gorakhpur Antyodaya Express as it was being brought onto platform no.1.
The stampede arose due to a combination of factors. With north-bound trains operating at full capacity, the empty Antyodaya Express, with 22 general coaches, was being positioned on the platform around 2:45 am. As passengers, who had been waiting in line, attempted to board the train, confusion ensued because the coach doors were still locked. This confusion, coupled with the sheer volume of passengers eager to secure a spot, led to a chaotic situation. Several passengers fell between or collided with the coaches in the rush.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and bystanders swiftly transported the injured to Bhabha Hospital. The injured were identified as Shabhir Abdul Rehman (40), Parmeshwar Sukhdar Gupta (28), Ravindra Harihar Chuma (30), Ramsevak Ravindra Prasad Prajapati (29), Sanjay Tilakram Kangay (27), Divyanshu Yogendra Yadav (18), Mohammad Shareef Shaikh (25), Indrajith Sahani (19), and Noor Mohammad Shaikh (18). Sadly, Shahani and Noor Mohammad are reported to be in critical condition. Western Railway has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident, and spokesperson Vineet Abhishek was unavailable for comment. Despite the stampede, the Antyodaya Express departed from Bandra Terminus close to its scheduled time.
Source: Mumbai Stampede: Nine injured at Bandra Terminus amid festive rush